Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado and Champagne Vinaigrette
We truly enjoy strawberry season, and every time I start cleaning another batch of berries the boys are at my elbow begging for some of the juicy red fruits. I have to watch Monkey Boy and Top Gun because they will sneak the berries off to a hidden corner and get the sticky juice all over the furniture and floor. Read more
Cannellini Bean Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
June 4, 2009 by Andrea
Filed under Grow Your Own, Salads
Bean salads are an essential part of any recipe file and are great for summer picnic salads since they are often dressed with dairy-free vinaigrettes. I like to mix up my own vinaigrettes, usually tasting and estimating until I get a flavor I like. In his new book, Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, Michael Ruhlman explains how to use ratios to create everyday dishes. The standard ratio for vinaigrettes is three parts oil to one part acid, though it can vary depending on whether you choose a citrus juice or vinegar. Citrus juices tend to be very acidic and need some extra oil to balance the flavor, but generally vinegars work well with this three to one ratio. For this vinaigrette, I used one part white balsamic vinegar to three parts extra virgin olive oil.
Whole Wheat Blueberry Buckle
Early blueberries have started coming into the markets and grocery stores and we brought a big bunch home last week, eager for a chance to enjoy some of the delicious fruits. We use them in pies, muffins, ice cream, cakes, tarts, on top of a bowl of oatmeal, or just to eat out of hand. The boys usually have their fingers in the bowl of blueberries when we make something with them.
Banana Bundt Cake
My children’s school had a teacher’s luncheon a couple weeks ago for Teacher Appreciation Week, and I signed up to make a dessert. Cakes seem to go over well and Bundt cakes always look pretty on the buffet table, so I chose Dorie’s recipe for a banana Bundt, a homey and deliciously moist cake that is so easy to make. And the batter, oh the batter. It’s light and fluffy and tastes really good right out of the bowl. I promise I did not lick the bowl and spatula until after popping the cake into the oven. The boys were mighty disappointed that I sent the entire cake off to school without saving any for them, and I had to promise I would make another one sometime soon, which I did and it was a hit with the family.
Many grocery stores sell overripe bananas by the bag, and I can occasionally find a bag of 12 or more really ripe bananas for just US$1, which are perfect for this cake. The cake tastes best if made the day before, just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. You can make the lemon glaze or just dust on some confectioners sugar for a simple finish. Read more
The Daring Cooks Make the Zuni Cafe Ricotta Gnocchi
The Daring Cooks have begun! An offshoot of The Daring Bakers, group members strive to hone our skills by tackling one cooking challenge each month. For this inaugural challenge, our founders Lis and Ivonne chose the Zuni Cafe ricotta gnocchi from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers. I was thrilled to try the challenge because we dearly love gnocchi and though I’ve never been to the Zuni Cafe, I’ve heard wonderful things about it and have had the cookbook on my shelf for some time.
The ricotta cheese makes this gnocchi lighter than the traditional Italian potato gnocchi and the flavor reminded us of a very light omelet. Because we have plenty of chives and sage in our garden, I added both to the gnocchi and use more chives for garnish, a combination we thought worked well. We usually toss gnocchi with our homegrown basil pesto or sun-dried tomato pesto, but this time I decided to keep it very simple and made a browned sage butter. Read more
Strawberries and Cream with Macaroons
Strawberries are coming in season, one of my favorite food times of the year. Here in northern Virginia we have to wait a few more weeks, but warmer areas of the country are already basking in the glow of the beautiful fresh red fruits. My boys are always excited when we come home with strawberries, and they eagerly watch and try to sneak a few nibbles as I wash and trim the fresh berries for salads, ice cream, granita, pies, tarts, or just eating out of hand.
This recipe for strawberries and cream comes from The Military Wives Cookbook, by Carolyn Quick Tillery. (You can read my full review of the cookbook at Andrea’s Reviews.) It’s an easy dessert that’s elegant enough to serve to guests. We loved the flavor and think the macaroons lend even more taste and texture. Read more
